Hard Work Brings Reward

Preston North End 1
Sheffield United 1
Deepdale
Attendance 11,058
Away Blades 1,817

When you look at the fixtures list you just know that some games are not going to be easy, and many will remember the onslaught we had to endure to take a point last season at Deepdale, this was a game that many thought would be a write off. This PNE side had the talent going forward and the physical edge you would expect from any Simon Grayson side. 

Clough's team showed four changes for the visit to Deepdale. Harris, Flynn and McNulty dropped to the bench, whilst Alcock missed out. In came McEveley, Higdon, Murphy and Campbell-Ryce, who made his first start. The Blades settled the better and created the first real chance with nine minutes gone - Campbell-Ryce's cross was enticing, Higdon beat his marker in the air but Jones pushed the header around a post. The resulting corner was returned to Davies and his drill across the box was kicked clear by Wiseman but the officials mysteriously awarded a goal-kick. Preston's luck continued as they took the lead moments later. LITTLE's inswinging free-kick travelled across the box, beyond defenders and Garner, before nestling into the bottom corner of Howard's goal. Deep crosses then presented both sides with a chance inside two minutes. Another Campbell-Ryce delivery saw Higdon almost attach himself to the ball and then Garner headed over a cross from Humphrey. On 34 minutes Garner went even closer with a half-volley from 25 yards, but the effort was a yard wide. Campbell-Ryce was particularly active in the first half and went close to levelling following a Blades break but his lob could not beat Jones and then the winger delivered a cross which Basham headed over. For Preston, Humphrey's long rang effort was pushed over by Howard before the Blades deservedly levelled on 41 minutes. Campbell-Ryce did well to get the better of Davies physically and Murphy was also involved before BAXTER's left-footer from the edge of the box took a telling deflection to beat Jones. The later stages of the half saw the Blades clearly on top but the only other effort of note was from another Campbell-Ryce cross, unfortunately Higdon was crowded out.


Campbell-Ryce continued to impress after the break and the first two chances fell to Davies and Baxter but the first one was punched away and the second was over the crossbar. On 56 minutes, however, Howard was at full stretch to make an impressive save from Humphrey, who was aiming to curl into the top corner. From the resulting corner, King's back post header was saved on the line by the Blades goalkeeper, although the home players were adamant the ball had crossed the line before Howard's block. The entertainment value continued and on the hour it was the turn of Jones to make a fingertip save - from Davies, who swung the ball in from a similar position from which Little scored in the first half. Garner headed onto the roof of the net and United made a number of blocks from one Preston attack, whilst Wiseman cleared off the line from Higdon's header on 63 minutes. Howard dropped on a corner as Preston looked to make their aerial advantage count and the home side went closer still on 72 minutes, Garner's cross found Hugill and his volley was goalbound before striking the leg of Howard. Campbell-Ryce was United's first booking, for a foul on Woods on 74 minutes, and soon after followed Clough's first change, McNulty taking over Higdon. The next change, with ten minutes to play, was Wallace taking over from Baxter. Collins headed wide a Davies free-kick and with two minutes left Howard dropped to his left to push away a 25-yard effort from Gallagher. The action relented somewhat in the final ten minutes after an exhilarating opening 80, although Gallagher turned over a Browne cross as three minutes of added time was announced.

Putting The Past Behind Us & Looking Forward

West Ham 1
Sheffield United 1

(Sheffield United win 4-5 on penalties)
Upton Park
Attendance 28,930

Away Blades 1,385

For many Blades this game was less about re writing old wrongs and more about trying to claim a Premiership scalp. many have moved on from the Tevez shamble, the same obviously can not be said for the East End of London. Somehow feeling that they were the victims of injustice (I know that astounds me as much as it does you) they took to social media proclaiming how they were going to decimate The Blades, how we would leave humiliated and humbled. The newspapers of course showing no biased what so ever even printed large Carlos Tevez masks the home fans to wear as they trounced us to further the humiliation that was imminent in the eyes of The Hammers. But of course football being the wonderful game where anything can happen the script decided to make a drastic u-turn and deliver a small yet satisfying dose of karma to the deluded bunch from "down south".

In fairness on the pitch West Ham showed Premiership class controlling a lot of the early game, any hope that they would play the traditional Big Sam 'hoof' style was well and truly out of the window. West Ham were out to win this game decisively, as evident by throwing in their new twelve million pound signing Enner Valencia. Mark Howard had to make a string of saves to keep out the London outfit, but he was eventually beaten by a looping header from Sakho. The Blades had moments of danger but failed to test the opposition keeper with anything to threatening. Half Time came and went and United looked brighter, a good spell of possession and balls into the box gave The Blades hope but still failed to really throw anything at Jaaskelainen worth writing home about. But just before the hour mark the Blades were gifted an equalizer, a hopeful cross from Harris floated into the box, McNulty couldn't make full contact and it rolled safely into the box ready to be cleared, then in stepped karma in the form of Winston Reid's shins, awkwardly hitting the defender and slowly rolling into the goal, one all and game on. The rest of the half flew past, West Ham again looking the more dangerous but failing time after time to beat Mark Howard who was a man possessed. With the two sides unable to break the deadlock Extra Time was required but even after that neither team could gain the advantage, the dreaded game of chance approached, the tie would be decided on penalties. The same old story again came true, neither team could break the deadlock and four out of four penalties were scored for both sides, The Blades players overcoming the wall of boo's and jeers kept their nerves to set up the fifth, final all important kicks. Twelve Million Pound Man Valencia stepped up, the hopes of twenty plus thousand fans in paper masks sank into the ground and fizzled away into despair as Mark Howard calmly and easily saved the tame penalty. The boo's, the whistles and the hatred again filled the ground, Captain Michael Doyle stepped up, a chance to win the game, to make himself a cult hero. A chance to silence the hostility, a chance you only get once to deliver just a tiny bit of justice. And as the West Ham fans streamed for the exits Michael Doyle did a brilliant Cockney Walk in front of the traveling Blades who had erupted into a mass deliria, Doyle had kept his nerve, slotted home sending the keeper the wrong way, the battle was won and The Blades were in the next round. 

On a side note I would like to point out that the Daily Mail (head sports writer Martin Samuel) posted a rather, lets say catty match report, I am sure Mr Samuel had no hand in that what's so ever but I digress. I am very sure no one from The Daily Mail reads my blog but I would like to pass on a message never the less. No amount of catty reporting and biased views, no amount of trying to claim how superior West Ham were according to the stats will change the result. We won, West Ham lost, and now maybe it would be better if you reported on the current litter crisis in the East End as thousands of Carlos Tevez masks clutter up the gutter and drift across peoples gardens.

-Jonathan Gascoigne